New Dark Knight sequel rumors shot down almost instantly

Here we go again. It hasn't even been two months since The Dark Knight opened in theaters and it's already a chore to keep up with the hype on the sequel—which, by the way, hasn't even been confirmed yet. Who? When? How? Cher as Catwoman!? (Or is that Angelina Jolie?)&nbsp;

Of course, most of this is a combination of blind guesses and hopeful rumors started by enterprising fanboys (though neither of those really explain Cher), but now it seems even semi-official news is suspect. Consider the breathless back-and-forth "developments" of the last 24 hours: In an interview posted on MTV.com yesterday, Dark Knight co-star Michael Caineseemed to confirm the most persistent gossip of all: Johnny Depp as The Riddler, Philip Seymour Hoffmanas The Penguin.

Cue sudden Web explosion and, almost as instantly, the first denial from the subject of the news himself. “No one has talked to me about it ever—never,” Hoffman said of the Penguin role at the Toronto International Film Festival. “It
happened, like, five years ago, too. It was a rumor back then and it’s
still a rumor. It’s just in the press. It’s funny.”

Depp hasn't weighed in yet, and though he partly lit the flame himself when he expressed some interest in The Riddler, Hoffman's denial makes it seem unlikely that Warner Bros. has been in contact with either actor. But who really knows? As ever, it's clear that for now, we can only ride the hype for fun—and screw around accordingly.